Environment

ʻOlena, Lemonade and Learning: Maunaloa’s Taste of Nourishment

Thursday, May 1st, 2025

Community Contributed
Kristina Cacpal, Farm to School UH CTAHR

The scent of fresh herbs and citrus filled the air as fifth and sixth grade haumana from Kumu Wendy Espaniola’s class proudly presented their value-added products at the third quarter Mala Hoʻike. With a theme of nourishment, the event highlighted student creativity, cultural connection, and hands-on learning through a special partnership with Farm to School.
The young learners began their school year with a clear goal: to grow, study, and transform herbs from their mala (garden) into value-added products to share with their school and wider community. Throughout the year, they diligently cared for a vibrant selection of herbs including ʻolena (turmeric), lemongrass, basil, rosemary, and dill.…

Honoring Earth Day

Thursday, April 24th, 2025

By Jack Kiyonaga, Editor

One of the most attended events on Molokai, the annual Earth Day celebrations, took place last Friday, April 18, at the Mitchell Pauole Center. Approximately 1,000 Molokai residents came through to check out over 30 exhibits along with music, food and a celebration of the Malama Kuleana Honua award.

The long running tradition celebrated 31 years of Earth Day on Molokai, explained Allyson Durkin, program coordinator for The Nature Conservancy and organizer of Friday’s event.

Earth Day on Molokai “is unique,” said Durkin. “We hope you walk away with something that you can implement into your own life.”…

Channel Race Discussions

Thursday, March 6th, 2025

By Jack Kiyonaga, Editor

Molokai has long been home to some of the most challenging and exciting channel crossing races in the world. From the Molokai Hoe to Na Wahine O Ke Kai to the Pailolo Challenge and Molokai 2 Oahu, athletes from around the globe come to Molokai to compete in these storied contests. And while the races bring excitement to much of Molokai, there are also concerns over the number of competitors and escort boats coming to Molokai, as well as impacts on flight availability.

For the first time, representatives from all of the channel races that start or end on Molokai came together to field questions, concerns and ideas from the Molokai community.…

Winter Storm Surges Across Molokai

Thursday, February 6th, 2025

By Jack Kiyonaga, Editor

The biggest storm of the winter so far blew into Molokai on Thursday, Jan. 30, dumping two to four inches of rain across the island and whipping along with winds over 50 miles per hour.

“It was the most significant storm [of the winter] so far,” explained Joseph Clark, meteorologist for the National Weather Service. “It’s been such a quiet winter.”

The storm was actually not produced by a Kona low, explained Clark. Kona lows have a lot more cold air than this storm did, are more unstable and sit on a region for a longer period of time.…

Barter and Trade Event Focuses on Food Abundance

Thursday, January 16th, 2025

A new type of collaborative program highlights the ethics of food abundance on Molokai. The Barter and Trade event invites Molokai residents to bring excess food from their gardens to share and trade with their neighbors.

“It’s meant to build connections among community members, to celebrate our abundance, to extend generosity by sharing with others, to encourage self-sufficiency and steps toward reducing our dependency on imported goods,” explained event organizer Mercy Ritte.

The project is anchored in the theme “Ko Koa Uka, Ko Koa Kai,” meaning that those from the mountains share their crops and those from the sea share their catch.…